Hope: A Captain Swan Fan Fiction
by killianmewithfeels
Summary: (Sequel to "Trust: A Captain Swan Fanfiction") Captain Hook is finally released from his cell and soon must leave for Neverland. Emma, who has fallen deeply in love with him, realizes that there is no way she can live without him, and leaves in search of him.
1. Chapter 1

Emma walked along the sidewalk, coffee cup in hand, smiling a radiant smile, her hair gleaming in the morning sunlight. Things remained the same as they had for the past couple of weeks. Hook was still locked up, and though he wasn't exceptionally happy about it, it made Emma's work so much easier for her, being able to see him every day. Hook enjoyed being with her, but keeping a pirate contained for that long…well, it didn't bode well.

She walked into the sheriff's station, and as soon as she saw Killian, an even bigger smile spread across her face. He was still sleeping, but she knew that he would wake up soon. Emma didn't mind, because he looked adorable as he slept. She didn't know how long she had been staring, but she was immediately thrown out of her trance as his eyelids fluttered to reveal his gorgeous, drowsy blue eyes. "Good morning, love", he said. She could still hear the sleep in his voice as he sat up, looking directly at her.

"Good morning", she said. "I thought maybe if you slept I could get some work done around here." She walked over to her desk and sat down in her chair. "Guess not anymore", she smiled.

"I won't disturb you, lass."

"That's what you _always _say", she said rolling her eyes, pulling a stack of papers closer to her.

"To be fair, you're the one who always lets me out." It was obvious that Hook was enjoying this banter. He always did, and he would go on forever until Emma stopped him.

"Are we really starting this again?" she said, looking up from her papers. A grin was spread across his face. Yep. He definitely enjoyed getting on Emma's nerves far too much.

"Of course. What would this morning be without the usual banter?"

Emma sighed. It was true. "You have a point." If this morning was going to follow the usual course it took, now would be when she let him out of his cell. She looked down at her desk to see it covered in papers, not an inch of desk space exposed. Looking up at him, she knew what Hook was expecting, and she felt bad that she couldn't fill his expectations. Honestly, if she held things off any longer, she was bound to be fired at any given moment. "Killian…I-I can't." She was ready to say more, but he sat down and nodded his head.

"I understand, love. Do what you have to do."

She loved how understanding he was. After they had learned to trust each other, everything worked better than it ever had. She began to fill out the papers. Five minutes passed, though it felt like five hours, and she looked up at him. "Killian…this whole work thing. It sucks." She made a pouty face, causing Killian to laugh. Hearing his laugh made her to relax a little more. It was so soothing, the noise echoing in her mind.

"You can do it. Just imagine, you'll be finished soon and then we can be together. Without you losing your job", he smiled.

"Thank you, motivational Killian", she said, suppressing a laugh. "I needed that."

"Any time, I'm at your service, m'lady."

She smirked and went back to working once again. This time, it wasn't as difficult, but five minutes passed once again before she was interrupted by the bells jingling on the front door. Emma looked up, seeing Killian's head turning towards the door and causing her to do the same. Regina walked in, the click of her heels sounding around the station. "Good morning, Ms. Swan", she said in her business-like voice.

"Good morning, Regina." She wasn't quite sure what Regina could be here for this time, but Emma knew that visits from her were usually not that great.

Regina walked behind Emma's desk and over to the wall, where the cell keys were hanging. She grabbed them with a swift flick of her wrist and walked over to Hook's cell, toying with the lock.

"What are you doing?" Emma, asked, standing up.

"I've made the executive decision to let Hook out", she said, the cell door opening. Killian's eyes were wide, clearly showing how confused he was by all of this.

"W-why?" was the only answer Emma could come up with. What motive would Regina have for letting Hook out?

"You, of all people are questioning my judgment? Okay, well if that's what you want, I'll just keep your boyfriend in…" She closed the cell door halfway, before Emma interrupted.

"No! I-I mean…I'm fine with you letting him out. I was just…confused as to _why_…you were letting him out."

Regina looked at her with a confused expression for what felt like the longest of time. "I don't think it really concerns you, me being the mayor."

"Yes, well I'm the sheriff." More silence preceded her comment. "You know what, forget it", Emma said, no longer caring. "Thank you, Regina, for stopping by." With that, she escorted Regina out.

"Oh, my pleasure", she smirked. The door closed, and Emma turned around, leaning against it. "What…what just happened?"

Killian stood up, genuinely smiling. "I'm free, Emma." He walked out towards her, pulling her close.

She felt herself relax into him, throwing away all of the confusion. It didn't matter. All that mattered was him. And her. Them. Together. Whatever brought them closer was all Emma wanted. Regina's motives didn't matter so much to her as her love for Killian did. "I'm happy for you", she uttered into his shoulder. They stood like that for a while until Emma pulled back, running her fingers across his leather jacket. "First thing's first. We're getting you new clothes."

He laughed. "Whatever you think's best lass." Emma's smile melted his heart. She had full reign over it. It only took a simple look as that to bring him to his knees. He felt himself being shoved back into the cell, causing him to frown as the cell door shut in his face. "What was that for?"

"I need you to stay in there until I get my work done. Then we can leave." She paused for a moment, examining his clearly not amused facial expression, before saying, "Hey, you said whatever I think is best."

He rolled his eyes. "I really should be more careful with my wording", he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

She smirked as she sat down, continuing her work. "Took you 300 years to figure that out, huh?" He narrowed his eyes at her, only fueling her want for more. _Hmm,_ she thought, _I'm finally getting good at this banter stuff._


	2. Chapter 2

"I know you said you didn't want leather, Emma, but…how about this one?" Killian said, holding up a black leather jacket to his chest. Emma had finally finished up her work for the afternoon, and now they were hitting up the various clothing stores of Storybrooke, desperately searching for new clothes for Killian. Though this _was _Storybrooke and nothing was ever normal, people still gave him strange looks. Besides, Emma thought if he looked that attractive in his pirate get-up, she could only imagine how he would look in a sweatshirt and blue jeans.

"Hey, I _never _said I didn't want leather. I said we need to replace your leather jacket. Y'know, with something more modern. I think that one would work on you", Emma said, smiling up at Killian.

"Good", he beamed back. "So, are we done here?" Draped over Killian's arms were various clothes he had tried on that they decided would work. It was apparent that he was tired of shopping, and Emma was growing weary of it as well.

"Yeah, I think this will be good for now." Luckily, Killian had gone for a bunch of cheap, plain t-shirts, making it much more affordable for the two of them.

They paid for it all and walked out, ambling along the dark, lantern-lit streets. It was quiet, the two of them being almost the only ones there. Unexpectedly, Emma felt a hand lace it's fingers into hers, causing her to look up at the pirate next to her and smile. She looked back down as they remained in silence for a few brief moments until Killian broke it.

"Where are we going lass?" he asked, his breath making steam in the air. It was the middle of January, and the weather was as cold as it had been all season. For some strange reason, Emma felt somewhat even more attracted to him, seeing the steam in the air as he breathed.

"We're going to Granny's Inn. You know, so you can live somewhere?" she laughed.

Killian stopped in his tracks, Emma stopping alongside him. "I can sleep on my ship…I'd quite prefer it actually. Thank you though, love", he said, kissing her on the top of the head.

Emma's confused state was made apparent by her facial expression as she said, "But I thought it was invisible still."

"No, I guess it wore off. I saw it as were walking around today", he said, turning Emma around so that they were walking in the direction of Emma's apartment. "I'll walk you to your flat."

"Aren't you a gentleman?" Emma smirked at him. Though his eyes were directed straight, a smile spread across his face, seeing Emma out of the side of his eyes.

"I'm _always _a gentleman", he said with raised eyebrows.

"Now where have I heard _that _before?"

He smiled, clearly unable to come up with something to throw back at her. The silence was relaxing as they walked about another five minutes until they reached Emma's flat. Killian stopped, turning around so that they were face to face. His kissed her softly, letting go of her hand as he said, "Goodnight, love." There they parted their separate ways.

. . . . .

The door bells rang as Killian walked in to see Emma, sitting at her desk. The sheriff's station was where they decided to meet up every day. She smiled up the usual smile that melted his heart as he walked closer. Emma noticed that he was wearing one of his new, blue sweatshirts, a plain black t-shirt, and jeans. It was very simple, but he looked exceptionally attractive in anything. Heck, when Emma first met him, he was wearing a blanket and he was still as handsome as ever. She picked up the coffee cup on her desk, took a sip, and said, "Good morning, my lovely pirate."

"Good morning, lass", he said, pulling up a chair beside her. "What's that drink you're holding?"

"Oh. It's coffee. I suppose I'll have to take you to get a cup some time. It's really good. You want some?" she asked, bringing it closer to him.

He grabbed it, drank, and placed it back on the table with a satisfied face. "It's good. I want more."

Emma laughed and said, "Alright. In a couple of hours."

They stayed in the office, banter and laughter echoing against the walls, until Emma checked her watch, noting that it was noon. She stood up and put on a black, woolen jacket similar to Killian's old one.

Killian, noticing this, said, "Hey, how is that fair? You get to wear a black jacket and I don't?"

Emma sighed. "I never said you couldn't."

"Good. A pirate can wear what he wants", he said defiantly.

Emma laughed. "As much as you want to seem powerful, you're still pathetic, Killian." He stared at her for a moment, until Emma rolled her eyes, kissed him and said, "It's alright, though. I'm used to it." She grabbed his hand, and they headed out the door.

. . . . .

"Why haven't I discovered this before?" Killian said, taking another sip of his vanilla latte.

"Maybe coffee is too fancy for the high seas," she laughed. They sat in the warm, little coffee shop, soaking in as much heat as they could. The smell of coffee brewing made it feel even more home-y. They had finished their coffee and were making small talk as the door opened to the little shop, revealing Belle and Rumple. Emma's eyes widened as she quickly stammered, "K-Killian, we need to leave. Now." Belle and Rumple had finally cleared the doorway, as Emma stood up, grabbing Killian's hand.

He pulled her back towards him and said, "Why are we leaving, love? I was just getting comfortable."

"Rumplestiltskin is here", she said quickly. "Let's go."

Killian smirked and Emma immediately knew she had made a mistake. "Why leave when I've got my crocodile cornered now?" He raised an eyebrow and stood up as he finally spotted his prey. Now was the moment. His one shot at what he had always dreamed of: skinning his crocodile.

His thoughts were interrupted as Emma grabbed his arm and pulled him back with great strength, flinging him into one of the booths. "Stop, Killian! Think about what you're doing!"

Killian rubbed his now aching side and said, "I know _exactly _what I'm doing, Emma. That's why I'm doing it." He stood back up, only to be shoved down by Emma once again. Clearly he had underestimated her strength.

"You've been working at this for 300 years, Killian. _300 years. _By now, has this just become something that you've always wanted and what your life has worked up to? Or is it something more to you?"

Killian looked down at the ground, trying to hold in his anger. Emma was a smart lass, but this had to mean something more to him than killing someone who had killed his love over 300 years ago. Didn't it? "I don't have time for this", he said at last.

Tears welling in her eyes, Emma backed away a step. "I heard that as 'I don't have time for _you_'. Something is clearly wrong here", she said with a face of disgust. "Obviously what you're trying to do is _so _much greater than me." She pulled a ten dollar bill out of her pocket, slapped it onto the table, and walked away.

As she was almost to the door, Killian yelled across the shop, "No, Emma, wait! You can't leave me again!"

Emma's mind stayed on the word _again _for a few seconds before she shook it out. "Actually, I can." If this was so much more important than losing Emma, then _go ahead,_ she thought. If that's the price he wanted to pay, she was going to let him.

Killian rested his head in his palm as the door slammed shut and she was gone. He had lost her. He had never made her mad before, and now he recognized that it was his fault. This all happened because of him. Because of the lifelong goal he had set for himself _years _ago. Killian lifted his head, and his eyes immediately met those of Rumplestiltskin, standing inches in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Colors blurred, tears obscuring Emma's view. She was not one to cry. She was a strong woman who had been independent for a long, long time. Being without the kind of love she had with Killian was normal. So why was it so difficult to revert to her old life without him? They had only been together for hardly a few weeks.

At first, they were slow, barely streaming down her cheeks. Now, there was no holding back. She gave in, letting the tears wash down her face. She probably looked like a mess, but she didn't care. The front door was locked, and no one was going to see her for a few hours anyways. She rested her head in her palms, tears falling onto loose papers before she shoved them away and into the floor in a fit of rage.

Why did this make her feel so pathetic? It was as if she was some lovesick teenager with no hope. She never really let her feelings fly, especially over a guy. But now, she didn't even feel like herself anymore. As cruel as she knew Hook could be, the true Killian inside him made up for that. It was as if he had almost let go of the pirate inside of him, but all it took was Rumple to bring him back.

Emma would give anything…_anything…_to have the Killian she knew back. But now she was back to the beginning, back before she ever knew he existed. Maybe it was better this way. She was perfectly happy back then. But, as much as Emma tried, she couldn't get herself to think this way. She continued, losing complete track of time, crying at her desk over the pirate who had stolen her heart right from the start.

Emma jumped up in her chair, suppressing a shriek, as she grabbed as many tissues as she possibly could and began dabbing them frantically on her face. The front door had opened to reveal the pirate behind it all, looking ultimately confused. Emma pushed herself back in her swivel chair, trying to avoid him as much as she possibly could. She turned it around so he couldn't see her face as she yelled, "Killian, please, go away! I really don't need this right now." But, much to her displeasure, she heard footsteps on the hardwood floor creeping closer and closer to where she was sitting.

"Emma, what's wrong, love?" he said, fear enveloping his words.

"What do you _think, _Killian?" He was now stooping down directly in front of her. The tears had left as soon as he walked in, and now her vision was clear enough to see that he had a black eye. "What happened?" she said, unintentionally backing away from him in shock.

He pulled her chair back where it was and said, "Rumple. _That's _what happened."

Emma breathed heavily, looking him directly in the eyes. "You know, deep down inside I _really _thought that _maybe _you'd let it go. Clearly I was right to leave." She stood up and began walking towards the door, but before she could leave, Killian grabbed her wrist gently, turning her around to face him once again.

"He hit me with his cane and I refused to lay a hand on him until Belle convinced him to stop. I swear, Emma, ask anyone who was there. All I want is you."

She saw the desperation gleaming in his eyes as he said these words, reassuring her. The realization of how easy it would be to give into him hit her. His face was inches away from hers, only getting closer, but she turned her head, causing him to back away.

He sighed deeply as he said, "I know I lost your trust. When I had it, everything worked so well until I screwed it up. And I understand this, Emma, I apologize as sincerely as anyone ever could. But if you walk away from this…if you walk away from us…I don't blame you. I showed you that you would have the right not to trust me. I showed you a side of me I wanted never to surface again. But, Emma, I desperately need you."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Emma broke it, asking, "How did you get in here anyways? The door's locked."

He pulled a key out of his pocket and dangled it above them. "I found it the other day wandering around the station. I didn't mean to intrude, though. I didn't know you were…crying." The last word came out as a whisper, making it clear that he felt terrible even thinking that he could inflict that kind of pain on Emma Swan.

The sincerity in his voice…it killed her. It brought her to such a vulnerable state, making her want to let her walls down and just give in to him. She could tell he knew this as he pleaded one last time. "Emma…_please. _I love you."

Those last three words ended it all. Any doubts she ever had were diminished as she grabbed him, kissing him for the first time in the last couple of days. After a few seconds, she forgot why she was mad at him to begin with, just letting everything else go. She was solely, entirely focused on him. In this moment, nothing else mattered. After a few moments, they let go.

"You know what's different with you, Killian? Everyone I've fallen for…they left me, one way or another. But I was the one to leave you. Because I was scared. Because I didn't trust you. I still remember what you said. I told you that you would have left me up on that beanstalk if I wouldn't have left you first, and you said, 'Actually, no'. And there's something about your eyes, Killian, the way they say everything for you…I knew you meant it."

He smiled, leaning against her desk. "I don't break promises, Emma. Never intentionally. And until something unexpected happens I'll always be here to protect you." He wrapped his arms around her, and she sat on the table right next to him. Being in his arms felt like nothing could ever hurt her.

Emma looked down at her watch to see that it was five o'clock. "Well, it's time for me to wrap things up here", she said, standing up. Emma heard Killian's footsteps following behind her to the front door. She opened it, letting him through with her, and locked the door.

She grabbed his hand as they stood in the doorway. "Are you going to go to your ship?"

He sighed. "I suppose so." He kissed her on the top of the head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Swan?"

She smiled. "I hope so."

He let go of her hand, and walking away, said, "I'll be looking forward to it." Emma watched as he faded away before she left for home, the memories of the two of them never leaving her mind the entire walk there.


	4. Chapter 4

"Yes, yes, no need to worry. I've got him _right _where he needs to be." Regina, standing across from Mr. Gold, was tapping her long, black finger nails against the desk rhythmically. "As long as you distract Emma, I've got this covered."

Mr. Gold stood up from his leaning position, letting in a deep breath. "I'll take care of Ms. Swan. As long as you know what you're doing with that Captain of yours", he said in disgust at the mention of the pirate.

"Of course. Now, move along. We must get them while they're still alone", she said, looking down at her watch to see that it was half past seven in the morning.

Mr. Gold picked up his cane, leaning against the side of the desk, and walked out the door, followed by Regina. Their plan was foolproof, the two of them joining forces to make themselves even more powerful. Now, it seemed as if they were unstoppable.

. . . . .

Emma sat at her desk, working intently on her paperwork. She took a quick glance up at the clock on the wall to see that it was half past seven. Killian should've been there any time now. As soon as she looked back down, the door opened, causing a huge grin to spread across her face. It quickly faded, though, as she was disappointed to see Mr. Gold, walking through the door, cane in hand.

"Disappointed, are you, Ms. Swan?" he said, grinning maliciously. He walked closer until he was standing about a foot away from her desk, relaxing into the spot. Pulling up a chair, he sat down, setting his cane across his lap. "I have something to talk to you about, so I hope you don't mind taking a break", he said, motioning to the paper she was holding in her hand.

She placed it down on her desk slowly and cleared her throat. "Of course not", she said with a forced smile. She settled back in her seat, wondering what he could possibly want now. Was it a deal of some sorts? Whatever it was, Emma was sure she wanted no involvement.

"As you know, I've known…Hook…for a lot longer than you have", he started.

Emma cocked her head, leaning forward. "Where is this going?" she asked sternly.

"Sit back, Ms. Swan. You'll see in a moment." After Emma relaxed back in her chair, he continued. "I've seen him in love." Ignoring Emma's snort, he continued. "I've also seen the other side of him. The violent side. Not even Milah could tame that. What makes you think that you can?"

Emma was startled by his question, causing her to lean forward once again. "I…" She cleared her throat, trying to force out words, but to no avail.

"Right. That's what I thought. I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into Emma. He's not as innocent as he might lead you to believe."

"Sure he has a dark past, but he's changed", she said.

"Right", he scoffed. "He sure seems like a changed man to me."

Emma stood up quickly. "He may be a pirate, but he's no villain, if that's what you want me to believe. He has a good side, you know. I don't think _you _have any right to tell me that _he's _the evil one."

All Mr. Gold could do was look down, without making a sound. Clearly, he didn't know what he had gotten himself into. He didn't realize how in love they were. Regina was not going to be pleased. After a moment to reflect, he stood and said, "Well, Ms. Swan, it's been nice talking."

Emma bit her tongue, holding back all of the words she could have said instead of the "Goodbye, Mr. Gold" that she had settled on. He left, and Emma relaxed back into her chair. She knew what Hook was capable of. He was a pirate. What was she to expect? But deep down in that heart of his was a love that Emma had never seen before. One so passionate it could set the world on fire. One that she was so blessed to be a part of. And Mr. Gold's words were not going to change that one bit.

. . . . .

"Hello Hook", Killian heard from behind him, laced in a dark, sinister voice. He turned to see none other than the mayor, standing on board his ship.

"How did you get here?" he asked, surprised to see someone sneaking onto him ship without him noticing.

"Ah, by walking of course", she smirked.

He rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" he groaned. She obviously wasn't here for nothing. There had to be something that she wanted of him, and he was _not _in the mood.

"Well, I've been informed that one of your…_friends_…has been put in danger."

"Emma?" he frantically responded, shifting into a much more hostile stance. If anything were to happen to her, he'd be completely distraught. Even more than distraught. More than words could express.

"No, no, not from this land. I'll show you", she said, taking out a mirror. "This should clear things up."

He raised his eyebrows in confusion. "And of what use is this to me?" he said, motioning towards it with his hook. He grabbed it with his hand and stared intently into it. "Ah, I understand now, my hair is quite a mess. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." He lowered the mirror and looked at her, clearly not amused.

She quickly snatched it back. "This mirror is no ordinary mirror. It can see into other worlds. Like this", she said, snapping her fingers. As she did, an image burst to life in the frame. In it was the image of a close friend of Killian's, trapped, desperately trying to escape the 'prison' she was being taken captive in.

"Why is Tinkerbell being taken captive?" he said, worry apparent in his voice. Tink and Killian had grown close in Neverland, both of them being the stubborn, flirty, bickering type. He cared about her safety, so seeing as she was now imprisoned, he felt a sort of obligation to save her.

"That, I've no idea", she said, turning the screen off. "No one else is there to save her now is there?"

"What about Pan?"

"They grew apart since you left Neverland. I don't know the details, really, just the plain fact. You're the one responsible for her life now. I think you know what to do."

Killian remained silent, looking down at the ground. He hadn't seen Tink in a long while. He was just now getting comfortable in this new town, and now he had to leave? He took a deep breath and realized that there was a life at stake here. "What about Emma?" he said at last. That was one matter that was nagging at him. How would they deal without each other?

"That, Hook, is none of my business", she said, turning around to leave. "Those details are up to you. Oh", she said turning around to face him one last time. "I almost forgot. You'll need these", she said, throwing him a couple of beans. These would help him get to Neverland.

Killian played with them in his fingers. "When do I need to leave?"

"Tomorrow." With that, Regina promptly turned and left Killian to reflect on his thoughts.

What was he to do without Emma? He knew he needed to save Tink. They had been incredibly close once, and just because there was time in between didn't mean he wasn't responsible for her life. Thinking of saving her brought back old memories of them. He remembered fondly their flirting back and forth until Milah came along. Tink had become jealous, but in the end, Hook and Tink remained close. They went through a lot together, that much was true. Hopefully, from Tink's surroundings, Killian had a hunch where she might be and it would be a quick trip. Nevertheless, being away from Emma was going to be one of the most difficult things he would put himself through. He finally decided that he needed to talk to Emma about it immediately and see what she thought. He stood up straight, put the beans in one of his pockets, and left towards the sheriff's station.

. . . . . .

"Killian, no", Emma said, backing away with tears in her eyes. "Why does this always happen to us? As soon as we're together, we're torn apart again."

"I'm so sorry, Emma. I swear, I never planned on leaving you again." He grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, allowing her to cry into his shoulder. Attempting to calm her down, he rubbed her back. "Emma, darling, it'll be alright. I know it will."

Finally after a few minutes, Emma stood up straight and wiped the tears off of her face. "I understand what you have to do, Killian. Someone's life is at stake and I'd be selfish to keep you to myself." She was silent for a moment before she was struck with an idea. "Killian…do you think that maybe I could come with you?"

"I…I don't really know where exactly I'm going and…I'd feel safer if you were to stay here. I'll be back before you know it. Okay, lass?" he said, brushing his thumb against her cheek.

She closed her eyes and nodded, no later feeling lips collide with hers. A couple of minutes later, Emma put her arms around him one last time. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning."

She released him, smiling up at him as if she may never see him again. "I think it'd be easier on me for us to split separate ways now until later today. The more you stay, the harder it is for me to let go", she said in a whisper.

He nodded. Kissing her one last time, he said, "Goodbye, my love." He had one last stop, and then he was gone.

. . . . .

Finally, the door opened, revealing the Charming duo, staring back at Killian, waiting for him to speak.

"I…may I come in?" he said awkwardly. The two moved out of the way, and Killian walked in, glancing around the apartment.

"What do you want?" Charming asked, getting straight to the point.

He sighed. "I'm leaving for Neverland tomorrow morning. I just want to know that your daughter will be safe while I'm gone. If you two could keep a close eye on her, that would be much appreciated."

The two looked at each other, confused, before looking back at Killian. "Why are you leaving for Neverland?" Snow asked.

"It's a boring tale, really. I'll be back soon. I would just feel a lot more comfortable if I knew Emma was safe."

Charming nodded. "Of course. We'll look out for her."

Killian smiled the slightest smile. "Thank you." He sighed deeply before saying, "Well, I best go now."

Snow smiled and said, "Have a safe trip!"

Killian smiled back and said, "Thank you." With those final words, he was off and away from Storybrooke. It was decided. There was no looking back now. He was going to Neverland.


	5. Chapter 5

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by…_

Emma had finally had enough, she decided, as she ripped the headphones out of her ears and threw them onto the desk. She had originally started listening to music, thinking it would help her forget about Killian. Much to her dismay, it made the problem thousands of times worse. Every song, no matter what it was, reminded her of the pirate one way or another.

Luckily, she noticed that it was time for her to be leaving anyways. She stood up, grabbing her leather jacket off the back of the chair. It had only been a day since Killian had left. When she was with him, she noticed herself giving up the leather jackets. Now that he was gone, she felt as if the leather jackets provided a sort of protection that she was missing without him.

Now she was walking along the lantern-lit streets, the frigid wind blowing her hair with every step. With every one of those steps accompanied a thought about Killian. She just couldn't get his existence out of her mind. _Was he safe? What if he got stuck between worlds? Was he dead?_ That last dreadful thought made her sick to her stomach. She just wanted him back already. As selfish as it sounded, she wanted him all to herself.

. . . . .

Dinner at the Charming residence was a quiet one as three staring faces were turned in Emma's direction, as if expecting her to say something. "H-Hook went to Neverland", she blurted under the pressure. "I know you probably don't care but…"

"Oh no, honey", Snow said, putting her fork down on her plate. "He came by just before he left and told us he was leaving."

"Yeah", said Henry. "They even told me."

Emma remained silent, letting the words sink in. "Right", she said slowly. "Well then…why were you all staring at me? I'm sorry, that sounds rude. I-"

"We just want you to be happy", Charming interrupted. "You seemed upset, that's all."

Clearly Emma was even worse at hiding her emotions than she thought. Before Killian, she was amazing at doing so. She liked to think that emotions were a personal thing for the most part. But now, it seemed as if Killian had brought her into reality. "I'm sorry, I'm fine", she lied. "I don't want you guys to be worried about me. I'll be okay."

Snow looked at her sympathetically, making it clear that she saw right through Emma's lies. She picked up her fork and continued eating, taking a glances every moment or so. She was Emma's mother. Wasn't it her job to take care of her?

Emma slid her chair back and stood up, moving towards the kitchen and placing her dirty dishes in the sink. "I'm gonna go read…thank you for the dinner. It was great as always." She smiled as much as she could allow herself, and once she got the looks of approval that she wanted from her parents before she left, she walked into her room, falling face first onto the bed.

If this was how it felt to be without Killian…well, she certainly didn't want this anymore. It was so painful, as if someone had ripped her heart and only given half of it back. He was a part of her life now, that was for sure, and being away for him, even temporarily, was a difficult thing to go through. She wanted him back with everything in her.

Thinking about him all day was exhausting. She curled up under her sheets, and before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

. . . .

_"Emma. I'll be back before you even know I'm gone." _Killian, standing on the deck of his ship, whispered these words to the air, hoping that somehow Emma could hear them. It took everything in him to leave her in Storybrooke while he was off in another world. But, knowing that he was being held accountable for Tinker Bell's life, he had to leave.

All of the anger, all of the fear, all of the despair inside of him was mustered into the throw, sending the magical little bean soaring across the ocean until it descended, causing the waters to shift. A whirlpool opened up, bringing back old memories of Neverland. "_To Neverland", _he whispered with a slight smirk, as he walked over to the wheel.

Here was where it all began. This was only the beginning.

. . . .

All the warmth from Emma's body was taken away as soon as the cold air hit her like a wall. Standing in the door of the coffee shop, she could see the silhouette of a man behind her. She held the door open for him until he caught it himself. Not in too much of a hurry, she walked at a slow pace towards the office, taking a sip of her latte. She drew her coat closer to her body, trying to regain whatever heat that she could.

All of a sudden, the coffee was thrown up into the air, falling right next to the place where Emma had landed on the sidewalk. She looked around and realized that she tripped on an empty soda can someone had lazily thrown on the ground. "Crap", she whispered under her breath, now that she was completely drenched in coffee.

"Need help?" A hand descended in front of Emma's face, the same one that had caught the door after she left the coffee shop. Her eyes traveled up his arm until they reached her face. "Oh, no", she bit out. "Neal? W-what are you doing here?"

"Long story", he groaned. "How about let's get you home so you can clean up, huh?"

She batted his hand away, pushing herself up off the pavement. "Why would you even care? I can handle this myself. I don't want to see you around anymore. I think you proved how much you cared years ago. I'm done", she said, walking away at a brisk pace.

He caught her arm, noticeably tighter than Killian once did. "Emma, wait. You'll want to listen to what I have to say."

She turned around to face him and let out a laugh. "I really doubt that." Turning around once more, she sped up, causing Neal to run after her.

"I know about your boyfriend!"

Emma immediately stopped right in her place. She had no idea what he could mean by what he said, but she remained silent, hoping that he would explain.

He was gasping for air as he said, "I can get you to him."


	6. Chapter 6

Neal placed a new coffee cup in front of Emma, who had just slid into the booth after going home and changing clothes. "Sorry about earlier", he said carefully, as if he had to plan his words to make her actually listen to what he had to say.

Emma just shook her head, taking a sip of the coffee. "So. What were you saying about Hook earlier?"

He sighed. "I was once a Lost Boy. I know my way to Neverland and I can get you to him."

Emma's face lit up at the fact that there was even some sort of hope of seeing Killian. She had grown as hopeless and one could, but now…now was her chance.

"So…are you willing to do what you have to to see him?" he prompted.

"As long as I can see Killian again, I'm willing to do what it takes."

"Great", Neal smiled. "All we need is a bean and a ship."

Emma thought hard. Of course, there was an entire field of beans they had access to, but she didn't have any ship. She was eager to see Killian, though. _One step at a time, _she thought. _First the bean…then the ship._ "No problem", she smiled. "There's a bean field a few miles east of here. We can just take one from there."

"Great. Let's get going then", Neal said, throwing his scarf over his shoulder as he stood up, ready to leave as quickly as Emma was.

Emma grabbed her coffee cup, standing up and following behind Neal. She was so hopeful now. It might be a difficult fight, but if it wasn't going to be difficult, it wasn't worth fighting for. Or at least, that's what she'd always heard. And she was going to stick to that principle.

Suddenly, like a vacuum, all of the hope had been sucked out of her as she pressed her hand to the door that Neal was holding open. There was a sharp pang in her chest, causing her facial expression to shift to one filled with worry. Something felt wrong. She didn't know what exactly what it was, but something wasn't right.

"You okay?" Neal said, noting the concern on her face.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine", she lied. "Let's just go."

. . . .

"Pan", Hook grumbled, holding onto the jail bars.

Peter Pan paced in front of the cell, smirking. "This glorious day has finally come! I, Peter Pan, have captured Captain Hook! Oh, the Lost Boys are going to love this."

Killian's nostrils flared, clearly not amused. He was the one being held captive now. Usually, it was the other way around. "Where is Tink?" he practically yelled.

"Oh Tink? What about her? She's with me of course. Tink!" he shouted, echoing across the cave walls.

Tink was different. Instead of being her small, fairy-like self, she was full size now. She still had wings, she was still a fairy, but now she was only a couple of inches shorter than Pan. That wasn't all that was different, Killian discovered, when Tink kissed Peter Pan's cheek.

Suddenly, Killian's mind was racing backwards, way back into the past.

. . . .

Tink kissed Killian's cheek, placing a mirror in front of him. She tapped the side, an image emerging from the glass. "Look what I found", she said, sitting on the arm of his chair, legs crossed, a fraction of an inch away from Killian.

The image was of a cartoon. There was a man with a huge red hat and a pointy mustache. Killian was thoroughly confused as to why Tink thought this was significant. That was, until he saw that the man had a hook for a hand. Killian glanced down at his hook, then up at Tink. "What is-"

"Shhhh", Tink smirked, placing a finger upon his lips. "Just wait."

The image zoomed out to a living room. There were two people, a woman and a young boy, sitting on a couch. The woman had long, curly blonde hair, and the boy had brown hair and bangs that he pushed out of his eyes. They were smiling as the cartoon ended.

"The man with the hook…in this other world, he is their portrayal of you."

"What?" Killian almost jumped up from his chair until Tink pushed him back down. "I look _nothing _like that!"

Tink giggled. "I know you don't, silly. Anyways, the blonde girl. I've been watching for a while, getting glimpses of this world's past. I've seen…the crocodile."

"The crocodile?" Killian jumped up, throwing the mirror into the chair. "This is where he went?"

"Yes. And the blonde girl. She used to be with his son. If you can find this girl, I'm sure she can lead you to the crocodile. Or maybe you can find him yourself. Either way, they're both in this distant land."

"Well, we need to get there."

"Yes, but how?" Tinker Bell said, standing up from the arm of the chair.

"I don't know. But I will find a way."

. . . .

"So she's not in danger at all?"  
"Of course not", Peter Pan replied, pacing the room. "Who gave you such an idea?"

"The crocodile and his…sidekick", Hook mumbled.

"Ah yes…them", Peter smirked, coming to a halt. "Good servants, they are."

Of course, it all made sense now. They were working for Peter. They had planned it all out: they would lie about something he had once loved being taken from him. It seemed Peter had grown even cleverer.

"Now that you're gone, they're no longer distracted from their main task. Once he's dead, victory will be mine." It seemed as if Peter was talking to himself more than anything, but he was doing it loudly.

Something immediately clicked. The Peter that Killian knew was not a murderer. He may have joked about it, captured people for the fun of it all, but he would not kill. "You're not Peter Pan", Killian blurted. "Not the real one."

The man standing before him turned on his heels. There was a long pause before he proceeded. "You're right. I'm not the real Peter Pan."

"Who are you?" Hook said, getting closer to the cell bars.

"I'm his shadow. His dark side. His enemy. But alas, I'm the Peter you've known all along. What you might be thinking is not true. Of course I used to joke about death, but the time has come. The time I've been waiting for. The real Peter has arrived….in a different world. In-"

"…Storybrooke", Killian finished. "He's in Storybrooke."

"Yes", Peter answered.

"But…what's his name? His Storybrooke name?"

If Killian had ever suffered through such a silence, it was nothing compared to the one that took place here. Finally, Peter lifted his head from his palm. "His name is Henry. And he is to die."


	7. Chapter 7

One bean. A single bean was what Emma found in the bean field. She rolled it around in her fingertips, cherishing the rare thing, the last one of its kind. Only a few days ago, the bean field was full of life, thousands of beans growing up towards the sun. Now, it looked as if they had all been burned, the plants dark as coal.

She turned around to face Neal, placing the bean in his hand. "It's all we've got", she said. "It's our only hope. So keep it safe." She glared up at him until he secured it in his pocket, making her feel much safer than before.

She sighed deeply. "Good. Now for the ship. Ugh, the ship…" she groaned. How was she supposed to get a ship? She didn't know anyone who owned a ship except Killian. A lot of good that was. The only place she knew to go to find a ship were the docks. She suggested it to Neal, and off they went, in search of the last thing that could make it for them…this was Emma's one shot. She couldn't blow it. She would find a way, no matter how much she had to do to get what she wanted. She wasn't just about to lose sight of seeing Killian.

Killian sat against the wall in the back corner of the cell, looking up at the ceiling. All he could think about was Emma. How was she? Was she safe? Did she miss him and much as he missed her? And most of all, would he ever see her again? Every minute that passed brought more and more doubt. She was so far away from him…much too far.

Throwing him out of his trance, the bars to the jail cell opened and in came Tink, shutting them behind her. She placed herself next to Killian, drawing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, resting her head on her knees. He looked over at her and sighed.

"Hi", was all she offered up.

"Tink", he said, a slight groan detected in his voice. She was the reason he was here, and it was all for a lie. She didn't need his help at all. In fact, she was Pan's lover now. She was practically an enemy.

She sighed. "Remember the old times? It was you and I, together, inseparable. So in love. Then you left, in search for revenge. And you forgot about me." Her expression gradually faded to a gloomy one as she talked.

"It looks like you forgot about me as well", Killian said.

Tink swallowed. "I changed a lot while you were gone."

"Yeah? Well I did too. But at least I came in search for you when I thought you were in trouble. I left Emma. To help _you. _And you betrayed me."

Tink kept silent as she turned her face away.

"Why did you come in here, love? What did you want?"

When Tink turned back, a tear was visible in her eye. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She stood up, nearly toppling over and laughed as she backed out. "Peter Pan and I are _so _in love! Our love was nothing compared to the love I have for Peter!" She kept laughing as she stumbled her way out of the cell.

Killian sighed. It was sad to see how delusional Tink was going. She had no idea whose side she wanted to be on. Only time would tell. Killian could only hope he didn't come here for nothing.

Emma sat down on the bench, trying to catch her breath. Neal sat down beside her, a sort of sadness in his eyes as he looked over at her. The search for a ship had been a fail as none of them were up for sale, rent, or anything. Emma felt as if she had no hope. Neal reached an arm around her, trying to comfort her. She was too worn out to shake him off, thinking only of some sort of way to get to Killian. There was something she could do, she knew it. She just needed to figure out what it was.

As if reading Emma's mind, Neal said, "We'll figure something out." He was trying to say anything even partially comforting at this point, just so Emma would be able to smile once again. He could see how torn up she was over this, and he didn't want to see her this way anymore.

Emma channeled everything inside of her, searching everything inside for just a figment of something. Anything. Finally, she thought back on her moments with Killian. The last time she had to save him. Without even trying, she was able to make some kind of rainbow fire form in her hand, making Regina back off instantly. It was a kind of magic that was so powerful, Regina couldn't even imagine how Emma had pulled it off. Surely, if Emma could do that, she could summon a ship using magic. Couldn't she?

That was it. Emma stood up, a smiling curling upon her lips as she ran to the edge of the docks, lifting her head up and closing her eyes. She channeled all of the strong feelings she had. All of the hopelessness, the want for Killian, the little bits of hope that she _did _have…everything. They all mixed together in her mind, and all of the sudden, the world grew a few shades darker, allowing for a massively bright light to project its way into the ocean. Even with her eyes closed, it was the brightest thing Emma had ever seen in her life.

After it dissolved, Emma opened her eyes to see a ship, its sails unfurling and blowing in the breeze. She turned to her right to see Neal. Instantly, she pulled him into a hug, laughter filling the air. "I did it!" she said as she let go. "I made a ship appear out of nowhere! Did you see that Neal?" she said, jumping up and down and pointing towards it.

He laughed, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets. "I don't know how I couldn't have." He smiled, staring out, hardly believing what he had just seen. Neal looked over at her once again. "You're amazing, Emma, you know that? That was incredible."

Emma smiled, looking down at the ground. Emma could hardly believe what she had done. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she said, looking back up at Neal. "Let's go pack some stuff and leave for Neverland!"

Neal laughed and tried to keep up with Emma, who was practically sprinting to get home.

It was official. Emma had never been so excited in her life. She was about to see Killian again. Emma thought back on the pain she had felt earlier in the coffee shop. She was almost positive something was wrong with Killian in Neverland. She didn't understand how she could possibly know. Of course, she didn't understand how she could use magic either. Maybe this wasn't a matter of simply going to see Hook. Maybe she was saving his life.


	8. Chapter 8

Purple. Everything was cast under a purple light as the portal swirled around beneath them in the water. Emma instinctively grabbed Neal's hand, holding on for dear life. To say she was terrified was an understatement, but at the same time, she was ecstatic. She was going to see Killian for the first time in what felt like forever, so how couldn't she be excited? It was the getting there that made her nervous.

"Ready for Neverland?" Neal said, almost reluctantly. Emma understood why. Neverland wasn't as happy a place as the movies made it out to be. It was quite terrifying, which is why Neal had never wanted to go back. But, almost as if Neal was trying to pay her back for abandoning her all those years, he was willing to do it for Emma.

Emma closed her eyes tightly. "Yes", she let out at last.

Neal let go of her hand so that he could steer the ship into the portal. "Here we go", he muttered. "To Neverland!"

The ship was violently thrashed around as they emerged through the portal into the middle of nowhere. Emma fell to the deck until the ship had finally settled and began to float along. She stood up, clutching her now throbbing head. "Where are we?"

Neal pointed to a rock not too far away from their ship. "I recognize that rock…we're not too far away from where Peter should be."

"Thank God", Emma said, sighing. "I'm starting to get slightly sea sick from all of that."

Neal chuckled. "It's to be expected. Just go below deck and lay down. I'll take care of getting us to Killian and Peter."

Emma managed a sleepy smile. "Thanks", she said before heading below deck. She made her way over to the little bunk bed, letting herself fall into the blankets bundled up on top of the lower bed. She couldn't believe how tired she could possibly be after such a long rest, but within seconds, she once again fell into a deep sleep.

Emma's entire body was shaking as she woke up, fragments of sentences echoing around her head. Her eyes opened up, revealing Neal grabbing her by the shoulders, trying to wake her up. "We're here! Emma! Wake up!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" she said, pushing him off and standing up to meet his gaze. "Let's go. I'm ready to see him."

Emma had started off in the direction of the upper deck but Neal stopped her. "Before we go, there's something you need to know. Peter…he's turned bad. I barely escaped him."

"I understand, let's go!"

Neal caught her sleeve. "No, Emma, wait!" Neal sighed before he started again. "You can't leave Neverland without Peter's permission. He's going to make you do something…horrible. He won't let you leave unless there's something in it for him."

Emma's excited expression left her. "W-what's he going to make me do?"

"I don't know. But if it's as horrible as what I had to do to get out…" Neal never finished his sentence, his expression clearly displaying that what Emma was going to be put through wasn't going to be enjoyable in the least. "Let's go", Neal said, this time starting off before Emma.

There Emma and Neal were standing at a cave entrance, the only thing separating Emma and Killian being a door and a few feet of space. Emma's heart was pounding faster than ever as her hand touched the door handle. This was it.

As Emma opened the door, the first person she saw was Peter, Tinker Bell practically sitting on his lap next to him. They immediately stood up at the sound of the door opening, awkwardly smiling back. Peter gained his composure and cleared his throat. "Welcome. And who are you?"

"I'm Killian's girlfriend", Emma let out coldly. "And where exactly is he?" Emma's eyes scanned the room, and before Peter could even say a word, Emma was running over to the cell bars that Killian was trapped behind.

"Well, well well", Peter smirked. "This is who you're here for, huh? I see…interesting."

Peter's words were laced in pure evil, Emma noted. She didn't like the way this boy talked. All she wanted was Killian, but she could already tell that she was up for quite the challenge. "Please", she said desperately. "Please let him go."

Peter's evil laugh echoed against the cave walls. "Right, right. Lose my victim with nothing in return. Not this time, sweetheart", Peter said, inches away from Emma, grabbing her face with one of his hands.

Emma immediately smacked his hand away. "Don't you _dare _call me that again." Just to make sure he understood, she mustered up all her strength as she stepped down hard on his foot. "Let. Him. Go."

Peter, now hopping on one foot over to his chair, huffed out, "On one condition." He sat down, Tink not wasting any time making her way over to him.

Emma shifted her weight onto one foot, crossing her arms. "What?"

Peter took his sweet time to name his one rule, grabbing at his lip and looking down at the ground. Finally, he looked up at her. "You. You're Emma!"

Emma cocked an eyebrow. "How do you know my name?"

He sighed. "Long story. Magic. Anyways…I need _you_…to kill your son Henry."

Neal finally took his turn to speak up for the first time in five minutes. "You really think she's going to kill _our _son?" he bit out. Laughter filled the air as he made his way over to Emma. "Right, right."

Peter Pan sat up in his chair, facing Emma. "If you don't, I'll have Henry killed along withyour precious lover."

Emma's nose flared. "You wouldn't."

"Oh you underestimate my power", he said, standing up, strutting his way over to her. "In case you didn't know, your son is the real Peter Pan. I'm his shadow. If he dies, I become whole…and that's _exactly _what I need. So make your decision, Swan. Better make it quick, I don't have much time to waste here."

Emma shut her eyes tightly, as if it would make the entire situation go away. Her son's life was at stake and so was Killian's. What was she to do? "Fine. I'll…kill Henry." Those last three words were hardly audible as Emma broke down into tears.

Killian stood up and placed his hands on the bars, only hoping the least he could do was comfort Emma. But alas, he could not. Much to his displeasure, Neal, with whom Killian had had a complicated past, comforted her instead.

After about a minute, Emma gained her composure. She wasn't used to crying…at least not in front of others, anyways. "If I'm to do this, please at least give me five minutes alone with Killian."

Peter walked over to Killian's cell, pulled out a key, pushed it into the lock, and opened the door. "As you wish."

It was as if there were some magnetic force between Emma and Killian. As soon as the door opened, Emma bounded for Killian. Being wrapped up in his arms almost felt foreign. "I love you so much", she whispered.

"Well, we're just gonna go now", Peter said, awkwardly creeping off with Tink, followed by Neal. "Five minutes!" he yelled from what sounded like a very faraway place. "I'm counting!"

Killian pushed Emma back a little so that their faces were a few inches apart and they were staring into each other's eyes. "Emma, listen to me. You need to quickly get home and back. Peter will let you leave and open the portal for you, but you'll need another bean to get back."

Emma started to panic. "But I used the last bean there was to get here!"

Killian patted the back of her head as if to calm her down, then reached his hand into his pocket. "I brought an extra to get here. Take it." He gingerly placed it in her hand, wrapping her fingers back to firmly grasp it. "You need to be quick", he repeated. "Rally up as many citizens of Storybrooke and bring them to Neverland. Peter won't expect you to come back with an army. Just be quick." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into an embrace. "I love you so much."

"I love you, Killian. I'm…I'm so scared." Emma had never imagined having to do something like this in her entire life. Being sent to Neverland and having to save her boyfriend, Captain Hook, from being killed? Yeah. This wasn't the life she had ever pictured herself living. It was all so terrifying.

"I'm sorry I got us all into this mess. I never should have trusted that mirror", he murmured.

"Mirror?"

"Neverland magic", he explained. "There are these mirrors that show pictures of the past, present, or future. Regina showed me Tink being in captive. As you know, I came to save her…but she wasn't in trouble at all. I got us into this mess. But I'm going to do my very best to get us out of it."

Emma checked her watch. They had thirty seconds left. "How do you know Peter isn't listening to us?"

Hook laughed. "Peter may be evil but he's no smart villain."

Emma managed a smile. She looked down at her watch once again. Fifteen seconds. With everything in her, she kissed Killian, all the feelings of their insane love rushing to her stomach.

The sound of Peter's steps behind them interrupted. "Time's up, you two. Get going."

Emma wiped a tear away, walking off. "Goodbye, Killian." She grabbed Neal's hand, inches from the door.

"Goodbye, my Swan", Hook said, just before the door closed behind Emma. He sighed, sliding down the wall and onto the ground. She was gone. Just like that. Killian could only hope that Emma would be successful. Scratch that. Killian was sure. He had all of his hope in Emma. He trusted her with everything in his being.


	9. Chapter 9

"Look, Regina, you have to believe me. You have to help. Killian and I can't do it alone. Peter has magic and Killian doesn't. I do but…I've hardly got it under control."

Regina laughed. "You're wrong. I've worked with Peter for a good long while. He would _never _want Henry dead."

Emma's face began to turn red. "Here's the thing. We have to be quick and you not cooperating isn't helping at all. Would you like proof? Because Peter will be more than happy to come here and kill Henry himself if I don't do it."

Emma crossed her arms. "I still don't believe you."

"Right. This is _exactly _what Peter wants. He sided with you just so this moment would happen. You wouldn't trust and we'd all be screwed."

Regina remained silent. She looked as if she was maybe, _finally _considering Emma's point of view.

"I'll make a deal", Emma said, trying the last thing she could think of. "If you come with me, you'll realize whether Peter really is good or bad. You can make the decision whether you want him dead or not. When Killian and I get back, we'll leave this town. We'll never bother you again. _Please, _Regina. You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't think something horrible was going to happen."

Regina sighed deeply, standing up. "Fine."

Emma's eyes glowed, a huge smile spread across her face. "Really?"

"Yes, yes. Let's just go", she said, grabbing a jacket hanging off the back of her chair.

Emma's smile faded when she realized something else. "I need to get Rumple, too. His magic is superior to anyone else's."

"Emma, are you crazy? He's never going to help Killian. He wants Killian dead, you know that, right?"

"We're saving Henry! Just…please talk to him, Regina. Meet me by the docks in forty-five minutes. Bring Henry."

Regina sighed and without a word, she walked through the door. Emma leaned up against the desk and ran a hand through her hair. This was going to be a _long _day.

Peter was asleep in his chair, his feet propped up on a table and his snores echoing across the cave walls. Tink was slumped over next to him, looking tired and dejected. For a second, Tink looked over in Killian's direction. Killian motioned with his finger for her to come nearer, and so she stood up and walked over to the cell. She sat in the floor in front of the cell, her legs criss-crossed. Killian moved towards the front of the cell and sat down so that the only things separating him from Tink were the cell bars.

"You look miserable," Killian said.

Tink bit her lip and looked down, the looked back up so that she was staring into Killian's blue eyes. "A little, yeah," she sighed.

"Tink…Peter's no good for you. He's turning you into something that I know you're not. He's only using you. Do you really, truly believe that you're in love with him?"

It was as if Killian's words had penetrated Tink's heart, sinking deep down. It gave her a sudden realization. Why was she even here? She never got to leave, and all she ever did was follow Peter's every command. It wasn't love. Peter was dictating her life. Tink suddenly burst into tears.

Killian put a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quieter so as not to wake Peter up. "When I get out of here, I'll take you with me. There's this wonderful land called Storybrooke where people like us live. I'll take you far from this place."

Neal and Emma were aboard the ship, waiting for Regina, Rumple, and Henry. After what felt like eternity, they all arrived. Stepping on board, Rumple made sure to keep his distance from Neal. They had a complicated past, and it was probably best for them not to stir up any more drama than what they had at hand.

"So…is everyone ready to set off for Neverland?" Even though Emma had sounded quite convinced that Rumple would go with them when she was talking with Regina, there had still been doubt. The fact that he was here to help Regina, Emma, and Killian seemed strange. Emma decided not to worry about it. He was here and that was all that mattered right now.

"Let's go", Regina said.

Emma reached into her pocket and grabbed the magic bean, tossing it into the sea with all the strength she could muster. "Here we go," she whispered to the air. And with that, they were off to Neverland…again.

Peter awoke from his sleep, bringing dread into the depths of Killian's soul. Pan stood up and looked around dramatically. "Well, well, well. Your girlfriend hasn't done it, has she? If she had, I would feel different. Complete. I see…she caught on. Well. Jones. Your end has come, hasn't it?" he smirked.

Killian raised an eyebrow, standing up. He stretched his arms out to the side. "Do your worst," he challenged.

Peter laughed maniacally. "Oh, I will!" He strode his way over to Killian's cell, opening it and over-emphasizing his every move. With a snap of his fingers, he bound Killian's armed behind his back in chains. Another snap and he summoned a rather large knife. "I suppose you see where this is going. Any last words?"

"Emma's always been there for me. I trust her. If I must die for her, then so be it. But if you _dare_ lay a finger on her after you've killed me, you will regret it. I swear you will." His last words were bit out bitterly, Killian sounding on the verge of tears. He closed his eyes; he wasn't worried at all. He trusted Emma. He had hope. This couldn't be the end. Could it?

Peter lifted the knife and held it there for a few seconds before he began to force it down towards Killian's chest. The knife moved only a few inches before a loud sound erupted across the cave, making Peter instinctively drop the knife to the ground. He slowly turned around to see Emma, Neal, Regina, and Rumple staring back at him, the door knocked down and laying on the ground. "I…uh.."

Rumple lifted his hand out in front of him and started a fire. With great force, he reached his hand back, and then thrust it forward in Peter's direction.

Peter dodged, the fireball hitting the wall behind him. "I see how it is. Well, two can play that game." He lifted himself into the air and began to soar around the room. "Bet you can't do that, can you? Neverland magic," he smirked.

All at once, Emma, Rumple, and Regina released their magic at him. Rumple was still shooting fireballs, while Regina was zapping him with what looked like pink electricity. Emma was desperately trying to get her magic to work, but still she was an amateur. She had to focus hard to get any results, and right now she couldn't concentrate.

Peter was looking battered from the blows, but it wasn't enough. He wasn't going to back down at all.

From across the room, Killian shouted to Emma. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but in front of him she saw a large knife. In a fury, she darted across the room and grabbed it. She noticed that Killian was bound in chains, but there was nothing she could do now. This was a desperate situation, and Peter had to be killed.

Peter was now flying lower in the air, losing his strength. Finally, he tumbled to the ground and laid there, Rumple and Regina holding back their fire. "I feel the boy's presence…he's near, isn't he?" Pan sounded very out of breath, barely able to get the words out of his mouth.

"Indeed", said Rumple, now standing over him.

"Alright, Pan," Emma said, holding the knife over him. "If you promise to stay away from Henry and not kill him, I'll let you go. If not…well, you get the point."

Peter laughed. "You're joking, right? Without his death, I'm nothing. You can't honestly believe I would let him go."

Emma raised the knife. She was ready to kill. There was no way she was going to let this villain near her son. She knew what she wanted to do…but something inside her was stopping her from killing him. "I can't do it," she said, lowering the knife to her side.

"Perfect," Peter whispered, suddenly standing up and extending his hand, ready for attack.

Swooping in out of nowhere, Tink grabbed the knife and pushed Emma aside. Pan shot a bolt of electricity in Tink's direction, but it hit her blade and ricocheted back towards him. Peter's hand fell to his side, causing him to fall to the ground, dropped the knife and walked over to where he was, falling down to his side. A tear slid down her face.

"A little help over here?" Killian said, walking towards them. Rumple snapped his fingers and the chains binding Killian's wrists fell to the ground with a clink. "Thanks," Killian said, sounding amazed that Rumple had helped.

"So," Killian said, walking over to Tink and reaching a hand out. She grabbed it, and he pulled her up off of the floor. "I told Tinker Bell that she could come home with us. Is that okay?"

Emma spoke up. "Well…I made a deal that if Rumple and Regina came with us, you and I would leave town."

Regina walked over to Emma. "I…I thought it over. You saved my son. I think the least I can do is let you and Killian stay in Storybrooke."

"Really? I- Thank you so much!"

Regina smiled. "You're welcome."

"So…are we ready to head home then?" Killian said.

"Yes," Emma said smiling. "Let's go home.

Henry's screams could be heard as soon as the crew exited Peter's lair. Emma and Regina both sprinted towards the ship at the sound. Emma hopped on board next to Henry, who was grabbing at his chest.

"Henry!" Emma said, panicked. "What's going on? What happened?"

Suddenly, Henry relaxed, the pain going away. His head tilted back, Henry feeling as if he needed to sneeze. After a few seconds, he sneezed, only this was no regular sort of thing. He sneezed fire. Henry's eyes opened wide. "What just happened?"

"I guess whenever Peter Pan, or rather his shadow, died, you got his powers," Killian speculated.

"But why would _I _get them?"

Emma looked over at Regina. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

Regina shook her head.

Emma sighed. "Henry, you're the real Peter Pan. That Peter Pan back there was your shadow. He wanted you dead so that he could be complete."

"I…I'm Peter Pan?"

"Yes, Henry, you're Peter Pan," said Emma, smiling.

"I'm Peter Pan!" Henry said, thrusting his fist in the air in celebration. "This is so cool!"

Everyone laughed. They knew that Henry would make a great Peter Pan.

"Well," said Killian, walking towards the wheel of the ship, "to Storybrooke we go."

The nighttime had come and it was only Emma and Killian now, standing outside Emma's apartment. "We've had quite the adventure, haven't we?" Killian said, holding her hand. He reached it up towards him, kissing it.

"We have. I never imagined my boyfriend would be Captain Hook and my son would be Peter Pan", she said, laughing.

"Boyfriend?" Killian said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yes…?" Emma said, confused.

"Right. Well…" Killian got down on one knee right in front of her, causing Emma to clasp her hands across her mouth. "I've never been one to make things official. What we have is different, though. I want to be with you until the end of time, Emma. Will you marry me?" He reached into his pocket and held out in front of him a gorgeous diamond ring.

Emma was now crying, nodding her head as much as she possibly could. She held out her hand so that Killian could put the ring on her finger. Killian stood up, kissing her as passionately as he could.

The door to the apartment opened up, revealing a very confused Charming, standing in the doorway. "What's all the commotion, you two?"

Emma couldn't say anything yet, so she reached her hand out, grabbing her father's hand.

Charming, noticing the ring, was at a loss for words. His eyes were wide open, and Mary Margaret and Henry, who had gone upstairs ahead of Killian and Emma, were now standing in the door.

"Well," Charming said, breaking the silence, "welcome to the family."


End file.
